A stalker who waged a personal vendetta against a hard working pizza restaurant owner because of a Facebook comment has been jailed.
Bolton man Colin Cooper subjected the owner of 600 Degrees Pizza – Dan Johnstone – to a deliberate campaign of obsessive harassment over the course of months.
The victim never knew his stalker personally and believes the ordeal began through a Facebook exchange on a local food page.
A court heard this week how Cooper smashed the window of the premises with a brick, repeatedly spray paint graffiti over the frontage and attack the store with a hammer.
He even went on to accused his victim of being a sex offender, having similarly sought revenge against former landlords whom he felt had wronged him, court reporters from the Liverpool Echo detailed.
Stella Hayden, prosecuting, told the court: “Mr Johnstone does not know the defendant personally, but had an exchange with him on Facebook regarding comments that the defendant had made regarding Mr Johnstone’s business on the Southport Food Forum. That grievance appears to have prompted the defendant to launch a campaign against Mr Johnstone.”
Cooper, who was represented by Frank Dillon, admitted stalking, witness intimidation and a total of nine counts of criminal damage. Appearing in court via video link from prison, he was jailed for 26 months.
Sentencing, Recorder Martine Snowdon told Cooper that his “frightening behaviour” had been “designed to intimidate”. He was also handed a restraining order and told to pay compensation.